If you want to be loved go to Italy

In it's 3000 or so years of history, the port city of Palermo has had three golden ages: the Carthaginians, Arabs and Normans all found glory there. And now, after decades of post-War neglect and mafia corruption, the Sicilian capital is poised for a fourth — or at least a well-deserved comeback. Crumbling roads are being repaved, landmarks scrubbed clean and a newfound pride is in the air. But the essential charms of this mysterious and intoxicating city have remained intact, in the seductive ancient neighborhoods and the patchwork of evocative multicultural architecture.

The golden age of Palermo, it seems, never really ended. Here are a few not to be missed places that should be on your itinerary.

BALLERO FISH MARKETS

The ancient city is studded with vibrant outdoor markets. Mix with residents shopping for weekend essentials in the city’s oldest Arab-style open market in the decrepit yet atmospheric Albergheria quarter. Join the crowds at either end (enter through Piazza Ballarò or Piazza del Carmine) and browse stalls with all types of fish still twitching on trays of ice, alongside crates of zucchini and capers. While you're there grab a piping-hot panelle, a street-food fritter made of chickpeas.

DIVINE ARCHITECTURE

Being Italy it wouldn’t be fulfilling without a dip into a magnificent church. Make a 10-or-so-minute walk north to Piazza Bellini in the old city’s center and ascend the steps to a pair of famed houses of worship. The Church of San Cataldo (Piazza Bellini 2), a rather nondescript diminutive chapel, is best appreciated from the outside, where one can take in its three Saracen cardinal-red domes. But a few steps away is the Church of Santa Maria Dell’Ammiraglio, known as La Martorana, which offers a quintessential blend of Arab-Norman architecture, including an impressive campanile that dates back to 1143. Gorgeous, well-maintained mosaics and frescoes abound; no wonder the space is booked solid for weddings.

DINNER

If you’re hankering for a sophisticated take on classic Sicilian fare, head over to Bellotero (Via Castriota 3 ), a 10-table restaurant in Palermo’s new town that draws a nightly crowd of discerning and lively locals. Settle into a delectable meal of spaghetti with stone bass, sea urchin and lemon zest or lamb with oven-roasted pistachios and a vegetable caponata . Top it all off with a glass of regional Marsala

BAR CRAWL

For a city with such an audible heartbeat, Palermo is surprisingly lackluster when it comes to memorable night life. All of the young crowd seem to have received the same text message, as drones of them meet up regularly at the bars lining Via Ruggero Settimo, Via Principe Belmonte and Via Isidoro la Lumia. Wade through the revelry that spills out into the streets or make your way to the more grown-up Bar Malù (Via Enrico Albanese 21). This duplex lounge with outdoor seating attracts an upscale bunch that flirts to D.J.-spun tunes and sips special cocktails like the Robertino, a nightcap of gin, Angostura bitters and Aperol .

LA VUCCIRIA MARKETS

The city’s most frenzied market, La Vucciria (between Corso Vittorio Emanuele and Piazza San Domenico) is a dizzying maze of narrow streets is filled with food stalls and illuminated with thousands of tiny lights. Head into Bread Forreria (Via Bonacorso, 29), an adorable old-fashioned bakery, for homemade fettine zuccherate, its signature bread with sesame, raisin or anis toasted to perfection

BAROQUE ARCHITECTURE

Immerse yourself in Palermo’s spectacular Baroque architecture and art in the historic Loggia district. A single pass gets you into the area’s five architectural treasures, including the Oratorio del Rosario del San Domenico (Via dei Bambiani), a 16th-century chapel with a Van Dyck altarpiece, a Novelli frescoed ceiling and many adorable cherubs. Grab a walking map and explore the other four, making sure to ponder the faces of the 15 statues representing the Virtues and the Mysteries in the resplendent rococo Oratorio del Rosario di Santa Citta (Via Valverde 3). They belonged to the socialites of the day.

PASTICCERIA ALBA

In a city where gelato in a sliced brioche is a legitimate meal option, get the real deal at Pasticceria Alba (Piazza Don Bosco 7/c-d, off Via della Libertà; www.baralba.it), a half-century-old institution with an endless menu and ancient staff. Order a scoop of pistachio bronte, take your ice-cream burger outside and watch residents of all ages swing by for their midday delight.

CATACOMBE DEI CAPPUCCINI

File under “It Has to Be Seen to Be Believed.” Get yourself somehow to the city’s western outskirts for the exceedingly popular but no less creepy Catacombe dei Cappuccini (Piazza Cappuccini, 1). The chilly passageways of this underground tomb are filled with more than 8,000 corpses — fully dressed men, women and children with frozen facial expressions — that were preserved through all sorts of science from the 16th century until 1920. More surreal than scary.

DRINKS AT SUNSET

Pull up a chair on the terrace bar at the Villa Igiea (Salita Balmonte 43; www.hotelvillaigieapalermo.com), a luxury hotel on the slopes of the charming Monte Pellegrino. This Art Nouveau grande dame is nestled among gardens and courtyards that offer indelible 180-degree views of the Bay of Palermo. Sip a glass of crisp and fruity Donnafugata white while sampling the wide range of tempting snacks at the Bar des Arcades.

MONDELLO FOR DINNER

For a nice break from all the seafood in the city, try Bye Bye Blues (Via del Garofalo 23; www.byebyeblues.it), an award-winning restaurant in the beachy Mondello neighborhood. Incredibly fresh ingredients conspire to create delicious plates like an appetizer of country cheeses served with walnuts and marmalade. Follow it up with a delicious serving of pasta alla Norma, an island classic of rigatoni, tomato, ricotta and fried eggplant.

GELATO

For dessert, grab a pezzo duro — frozen candylike gelato cones — at the sleek Caflisch cafe (Viale di Regina Margherita di Savoia, 2/b). From there, head to the nearby waterfront and enjoy a leisurely stroll, or passeggiata, along the crystal-clear Tyrrhenian. Take in legions of cabanas on white sand before fleeing the honky-tonk mix of bars, arcades and souvenir stands at the other end.

MONREALE

There’s a saying in Palermo that goes something like: “He who visits Palermo without visiting Monreale arrives as a donkey and leaves an ass.” The cramped and bustling hill town a few miles west of the city center is well worth travelling to. Beat a path to the 12th-century Duomo (Piazza Gugliemo il Buono) for what might be the most jaw-dropping display of Greek and Byzantine mosaic work anywhere. There are 200 intricately carved columns in the adjoining cloisters, and the 20 metre high mosaic of Jesus glows like the sun over the central apse.